Ten Trophy Bucks Poached, Authorities on Manhunt

Washington authorities have suspects and are closing in on possible arrests after a months-long investigation into the poaching of 10 trophy deer.

Ten seized mounts in Washington are part of an ongoing investigation.

The Wenatche World reports that Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife searched four homes in Okanogan County on March 1 and recovered the heads of nine antlered bucks. Another was recovered in February.

The newspaper said the heads are critical to the investigation, which has been going on for almost six months after complaints from residents who were finding carcasses. The headless bodies were of whitetail and mule deer.

“This was a poaching ring, and spree killing,” Sgt. Jim Brown, Wildlife’s supervisor in Okanogan County, told the paper. “All of the suspects in this case know each other. They’re interrelated, and doing this together, or as part of a common scheme.”

The hunters were using spotlights at night to hunt and kill them, Brown said.

“They just killed them to kill them,” he said. “Their heads were stacked like cordwood.”